Pneumatic suspension device for vehicles



June 24, 1952 R. GOUIRAND PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Filed June 8, 1951 INVENTOR. Kei-7,@ gozarn@ ff ,4 Tram/5y of Fig. 1, looking in the direction Patented June 24, 1952 2,601,515 PNEUMATIC sUsPENsIcN DEVICE FOR VEHICL Rene Gourand, New York, N. Y. `Application June 8, 1951, Serial No. 230,519

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the pneumatic suspension of vehicle bodies, wherein air-iniiated cushions are interposed between the axles and chassis frame or lbody of a vehicle and thereby serve to resiliently support the load and to absorb road shocks. Examples of pneumatic suspensions in the same general class as that to which the present invention relates, will be found in my Patents Nos. 1,555,199 dated September 29, 1925; No. 21,042,596 dated June 2, 1936, and No. 2,488,288 dated November 15, 1949.

In said patents and in other prior patents, the suspension is arranged in a manner to rest the body or chassis frame on cushions so that the cushions act to support the vehicle body in a manner somewhat similar to thatin which the support is eected in cases where elliptic springs are employed.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a simpliiied construction, wherein the chassis frame or body of the vehicle is coupled to the running gear or axle frame by means of flexible cables which extend around cylindrical air cushions, the cables crossing one another and adapted to encircle the cushions in a manner to compress the cushions under road shock.

The invention has for one of its objects, a simpliiied mounting for the cushions, and a novel manner in which the cables are extended around the cushions and are connected to the running gear and chassis frame, and in other novel features to be herein fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein two embodiments of the invention are disclosed, Fig.

.1 is a vertical and longitudinal sectional view ,through portions of a vehicle, such as a trailer,

showing the manner in which the axle frame is coupled to the body or chassis frame by the improved pneumatic suspension means;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the lower portion of a motor vehicle,\showing the suspension means applied thereto.

The improved pneumatic suspension means, while herein shown as applied to automotive vehicles, is adapted for many uses, including railway coaches, freight cars, airplanes and many other vehicles. lIn Fig. 1 is shown the manner in which the suspension means may be applied to an automobile, truck, traileror the like, some of the driving elements of such a vehicle being omitted in order not to obscure the features of the invention.

At I is shown a portion of the body or chassis frame of the vehicle, and 2 indicates one of the wheels, and 3 the axle therefor. A cantilever frame 4 is shown as mounted on and attached to the axle housing. At one of its ends, the frame 4 is provided with a yoke-shaped housing 5 defining a channel or chamber 6 containing an elongated, cylindrical air-filled cushion 1. Each of the ends of the chamber 6 is closed by a plate 8 secured to the yoke-ends by the screws 9, and each plate carries a closure plug I0 on its inner face. These plugs I0 it into the opposite ends of the tube I and provide an air tight seal thereat so that said tube then becomes a closed, air-inflated cylinder. I

An opening II can be provided through one of the end plates 9 and the plug IU thereon, and a tire valve may be located in said opening to enable the cushion to be inflated whenever required to maintain the proper air pressure within it. The open side of the yoke 5 is closed by a plate I2.

Secured to and extending downwardly from the under side of the chassis frame I is a bracket I3 which has a yoke portion I4 generally conforming in shape to the housing 5 on the cantilever frame 4. This yoke portion I4 contains an air cushion I5 similar to the cushion 'I in the yoke 5. The ends of the yoke I4 are closed by end plates 8, and the ends of the cushion I5 are closed by plugs I0 similar to those previously described in connection with the cushion 5.

The open side of the yoke I4 is closed by a plate I6 secured to the yoke I4 by the screws I'I. Similar screws secure the closure plate I2 to the housing 5. Extending between the two air cushions 1 and I5 and partly encircling each oi' the cushions, is a plurality of iiexible cables I8 which are substantially S-shaped in formation. These cables are arranged in the staggered or alternating formation shown in Fig. 2. The cables indicated at I8a in Figs. 1 and 2 each extend partly around the air cushion 'I and has an end 20 anchored by the nut 2| above the cushion l. Said cables IBa each extend over the top of the air cushion I5 and each have an opposite end #ll anchored by the nut 42,. The next cable shown at 22, or that behind the cable IBa as viewed in Fig. 1, has an end 23 located below the air cushion 'I and its opposite end 25 located above the air cushion I5. This alternating arrangement of the cables is carried out across the length of the cushions 'I and I5 as will be apparent from Fig. 2.

The portions of the several cables which ex- 'the points 'indicated Aat 54 v"and 55 tend around the cushions 1 and I5 are maintained from direct contact with these cushions by means of arcuate metal plates 21 and 28 which respectively extend around a part of each of the cushions 1 and I5 respectively within the chambers dened by the yokes and I4. The plates 21 and 28 may be grooved as indicated at 29 toreceive the cables. l Y

The construction thus far described is found at one end of the cantilever frame li, and at the opposite end of said frame is a yoke 3e which is similar in shape and construction to that shown at 5. A bracket 3I carried by the 'chassis rame is similar to that shown at I3 and the air cushions and cooperating elements at this end of the suspension are similar in all respects to those shown at the opposite end and thus similarreerence numerals have been applied to the same. i

From the foregoing, the operation of the im.- proved suspension means will be readily understood. Any 'shocks 'imparted to the wheels will be taken up by the air cushions through -'pressure vimposed upon vthe sameby the cables and plates `21, "28 'over whi'chfsaid cables extend. For example, assuming that thewheels will ride over an obstruction iny theroad, causing the wheels to be elevated. This 'will exert a pull on cable la'onthe right side of the wheelof Fig. 1 toward the left,"causing 'a compression of the cushion 1, while at the same time apull will be exerted on cable. 22 t'owardthe right on the same side'of the wheel, causinga compression of the cushion I5. The cables on the opposite side of the wheel will move in reverse directions. The reversal of this occurs when vthe `'wheels dropV into'a'depression or holein the road, the Ycrossed and alternating cables serving to distribute the force of the shock over theseveralair cushionsthroughthe cables. Th'e'cables extend vthrough openings 35 provided in the plates I2 and IE, as clearly seen in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4 is illustrativelyshown ashockfabsorbing embodying the Vconstruction heretofore described. VIn this embodiment, sides of the chassis frame carry the brackets 50 and 5I,'eachof which'contains an air cushion 52 of the construction (described in relation to the brackets shown'at`l'6 in the embodiment of Fig.'1. Cables 56 extend around the cushions 52 and over the top'of the diierential housing 53. The opposite ends cf the cables are anchored at on the axle housing. Thisst'ructure acts 'to control'side sway and is an inexpensive construction for light vehicles. y

The foregoing detailed description sets'forth theinvention in its preferred practicall form, but the invention is to beunderstood as fully commensurate with the appendedclams.

What I claim is i 1. A vehicle comprising a chassis frame, a bracket carried thereby, a cylindrical air cushion carried by said bracket, awheeled axle mounted below the chassis'irame, a bracket carried by :C5

said axle, an air 'cushion carried by the axle bracket, and f lexiblefcables secured at one end in the axle bracket and secured 'at the opposite end in the chassis-frame bracket, each `Vof the cables partly encircling the air cushions in both brackets. Y.

2. A vehicle comprising 'a'chassis frame, a wheeled axle mounted below the same, a cylindrical air cushioncarriedby the axle and a similar air cushion carried by the chassis frame,

and. cables connecting the axle and chassis the opposite frame, said cables partly encircling both air cushions.

3. A vehicle comprising a chassis frame, a bracket carried thereby, said bracket defining a cylindrical chamber, a cylindrical air-inflated cushion contained in and closely'tting the interior ofV said chamber, a wheeled axle having a bracket deiining a cylindrical chamber, and air inflated cushion ycontained,inr the `latter chamber, a plurality of crossediiexible 'cables extending between the two brackets and extending into said brackets and partly encircling the two air `cushionseach cable being anchored at one end to yone of the brackets and at its other end to the other bracket.

4. A Vehicle comprising a chassis frame, a pair of brackets secured thereto in spaced relation, an air-cushion in each bracket, a wheeled axle below `the chassis frame and located between the brackets, a frame on the axle provided at each oi its ends with `a cushionhousing, each of said housingsicontaining an airiinnated cushion,

said cables partlyencircling the airbushions in thel brackets Y and partly Iencircling the air cushiions in the housings.

5. A vehicle co prising" a'chas'si's Vframe having a bracket yprovided {withv'an Aaircushi'o'n within it, a wheeled axlefc'arryin'ga 4housing containing an air cushion, "a plurality Yof crossed flexible cables partly encircling the cushion in the'hiisr ing and having `an end attached tofthe ho's'- ingv above the said cushion, Vsaid l""c'ables *having their other ends'partly encirclingVthecshonfin the bracket and"havingsaidflatterends attached to the bracket v` above the Asaid cushion, a "second group of cables alternating with ,those of the-'first group, the cables inthe-secondigrouphavingine end attacherdvto the( housing below the "cushion vtherein and having their otherends attached vto the br'acketbelwthecushinin said bracket.

6. A Vehicle s pl''vded :il'llain y`5 wherein there'is provided in` the-bracket and inthef'h'oti'sl ing an arcuate plate interposed vbetween the cables and the'cushions.

attached to rthe housing elowjt in and havingtheirfother "efdsattacled to' the bracketbeiow tnejusnih-'Lin said eracktfad an larcuate pme infine-naming arid fin *the bracket locat'edbetwenparts of Ythe'lcablesarfd the cushions.

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